Message:
We did have one (unfortunately only one) medal winner in 800 and up
this Olympics with Shalane Flanagan in the 10K (and Kara Goucher
was in the same position in last years Worlds). While he didn't perform
in this Olympics, Lagat was the world champion at 1500 and 5K last
year, if I recall, Webb had the top time for most if not the entire year at
1500 last year and Matt Tegenkamp was 4th in the 5K at last years
worlds. Shannon Rowbury had the 2nd fastest 1500 this year going
into the Olympics (although she placed 7th). At the marathon level,
both Dathan Ritzenhein and Ryan Hall had good smart races, although
they only ended up at 9th and 10th (Brian Sell was 22nd and if you
score the marathon like a cross-country meet, the US was second only
to Ethiopia with their overall performance) and Hall has proven that he
can run with the best with his London performance earlier this year.
There was certainly some underperformance at these games, but there
were also some pretty otherworldly performances in the distance races--
it wasn't just Bolt who was amazing--Wanjiru's marathon was perhaps
the greatest marathon ever run given the weather conditions and Bekele
is just Bekele--he closed the 5K with a 3:58 mile and the last two
quarters in 57 and 54.
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